Environmental authorities fine Cancun hotel

Mexico’s Federal Attorney General’s Office for Environmental Protection (Profepa) imposed a fine of $500,000 pesos ($24,015USD) on the Hotel Me by Meliá Cancún for the construction of two new buildings as part of its remodeling project, which did not have an environmental impact authorization.

The Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (Semarnat) did not give the hotel authorization for environmental impact of the projects identified as “Building 1” and “Building 2”, Profepa said in a statement today.

Profepa pointed out that in that remodeled area there used to be swimming pools and restaurants, prior to the entry into force of the General Law of Ecological Equilibrium and Environmental Protection.

Hotel Me by Meliá Cancun (Photo: centraldereservas.com)

Meliá presented to Profepa the license authorizing the construction of a tourism hotel from August 26, 1987 to February 26, 1989, issued by the City of Benito Juárez (Quintana Roo), as well as authorization for the demolition and remodeling of several installations, issued on August 16, 2016.

From the analysis of the technical study of damages, it was determined that the demolition and construction of the above-mentioned buildings “did not generate an imminent risk of ecological imbalance, damage or deterioration to natural resources”.

Based on this, on January 27, 2017 Profepa imposed as penalty a fine of 500,498.70 pesos and gave the authorization of environmental impact, in this case, the corresponding exemption in relation to Buildings 1 and 2. .

On the other hand, and in order to guarantee the protection of the sea turtle, an Integrated Management, Protection and Conservation Program was ordered to be implemented on the beach front of the Hotel Me by Meliá Cancún.